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Hollinger Corp. 
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lRDENER'S MANUAL; 



CONTAINING 

PLAIN AND PRACTICAL DIRECTIONS FOR THE CULTIVATION 
AND MANAGEMENT OF SOME OF THE MOST USEFUL 

CULINARY VEGETABLES: 

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED 



A CATALOGUE OF THE VARipUS KINDS OF GARDEN SEEDS RAISED IN THE I'NITKD 

"^SOCIETY AT ENFIELD, CONN.; WITH A FEW GENERAL REMARKS 

ON THE MANAGEMENT OF A 

KITCHEN GARDEN. 




BY CHARIiES P. CROSMAN, 

Published for Earl Jepherson, Enfield, Hartford Co., Conn. 



ALBANY: 

PRINTEB BY HOFFMAN AND WHITB. 



1835. 



PRICE SIX CENTS. Postage 4 centi not exceeding 100 miles : over 100, 6 cti. 



r 



TO GARDENERS 






DEALERS IN GARDEN SEEDS. 

The design of this little Manual is to enable our trading customers.while furnish- 
l!ig their assortment of Garden Seeds, to afford instructions, at a trifling expense, to 
Buch of their customers as may wish to obtain some practical information relative 
to the raising and management of those valuable kitchen vegetables which are con- 
sidered the most useful and important in a family. 
Having had many years' experience in raising seeds and vegetables, and in proving 
the quality of seeds, — and we are not ignorant of ihe complaints which are often 
made of bad seeds. — we are fully convinced that good seeds are sometimes con- 
demned for the want of a fair trial, and especially for the want of a seasonable and 
right management in preparing the ground and putting in the seed. We know full 
well the loss and perplexity of sowing poor seeds, and the reasonable anxiety of 
those who purchase for sale, to procure such seeds as will satisfy their customers •, 
and yet the venders are sometimes blamed and charged with imposing on their cus- 
tomers, in conseauence of the failure of their seeds.when the fault is altogether ow- 
ing to the want of proper management in the gardeners. We have therefore endea- 
vored to furnish a small and convenient ]Manual,wluch we trust will prove beneficial 
to all who deal in Garden Seeds, and more especially to those who have had but little 
experience in cultivating a kitchen garden, by furnishing such plain and practical 
directions as are best calculated to ensure success. 

Our original stock of garden seeds have been carefully selected, with a view to 
obtain those that are most useful, from the numerous varieties cultivated in the 
country ; and those we offer for sale are raised under our own immediate care and 
direction, we can therefore recommend them as genuine and of the first quality. 

For EARL JEPHERSON. C. F. C. 

Enfield, August 29th, 1835, 



CATAI.O€JUE OF CJARBEM SEEDS, 

RAISED BY THE UNITED SOCIETY OF SHAKERS, 

ENFIELD, HARTFORD CO., CONN. 

Orders addressed to Earl Jepherson. 



White Onion, 
Yellow do. 
Red do. 

Early Blood Turnip Beet, 
Early French Sugar do. 
Early Orange Turnip do. 
Long Blood' do. 

Orange Carrot 
Blood do. 

Early Horn do. 
Guernsey Parsnip, 
Long White do. 
Early Cluster Cucumber, 
Extra Long do- 

Long Green do. 

Early Short Green do. 
Superior Watermelon, 
Dutch Summer Squash, 
Crookneck do do. 

Crookneck Winter do. 
Cocoanut or Porter do. 
Early White Head Lettuce 
Ice do. do. 

Cabbage do. do. 

Long Salmon Radish 



Long Scarlet Radish 

Early Dutch Cabbage 

Large York or Harvest do. • 

Large Drumhead do. 

Green Savoy do. 

Red Dutch do. 

White Flat Turnip 

Long Hanover do. 

Sage, • 

Squash Pepper 

Cayenne do. 

Curled Cress or Peppergrass, 

Large Tomato, 

Small do. 

White Solid Celery, 

Summer Savory, 

Curled Parsley 

Saffron, 

Lemon Balm, 

Early Sugar Corn 

Early Washing! on or June Peas, 

White Marrowfat do. 

Dwarf Prolific do. 

Dwarf Blue Imperial do. 

Early China Dwaif Beans, 
This is a general assortment for country dealers, but as we raise 
various other kinds, those who want others can ffiention tliem in 
their orders. 

Note. — The time for planting and sowing seeds, as directed in the following pages,* 
is calculated as a medium for the vicinity of Albany, or 52" N. Latitude ; and by ob- 
serving the ditfrtrent dt^grees of heat and cold throughout the country, the proper time 
for putting in seed, will be found to vary from 30 to 60 days or more, being earlier to 
the south and later to the north •, tlierefore it becomes necessary for the Gardner to 
notice the climate, season, 'dtuation of the soil, &c, to api)ly these directions to pro- 
fit. 



A FEW 

GENERAL REMARKS 

ON THE 

MANAGEMENT OF A KITCHEN GARDEN. 

Previous to commencing the work of the garden, a few matters essential to suc- 
cess should be particularly attended to. In laying out. a garden of an oblong form, it 
will^generally be found most convenient to have the rows of vegetables run lengtrh- 
wise of the garden, so that the plough or cultivator may run through freely, without 
interruption, allowing an alley at each end for the horse and plough to turn round 
upon. The ground should be ploughed or dug to a good depth, especially for long 
rooted plants, and be well incorporated with rotten manure or rich compost. The 
essential advantage of deep ploughing is not only best calculated to give room for the 
roots to expand freely, but the crops on a deep ploughed soil will be much less liable 
to injury from the extremes of wet and dry weather. Every garden should have a 
good supply of well rotted mai^re or old compost, ready for use when wanted ; also 
a portion of soot, tobacco dus" ashes and lime, for the purpose of scattering over 
seed beds and hills of plants in dry weather, to destroy insects, which often cut off 
the young plants as fast as they come up. 

The next matter of impoi-tance is, to work the ground and put in the seed when it 
is in proper order to receive it. A light, sandy soil will be benefitted by working it 
when rather moist, as this will have a tendency to make it more compact, and better 
adapted to retain its moisture ; but if a clay soil be worked when too wet, it will 
become hard and stiff, and not only prevent the seeds from rising freely, but materi- 
ally injure the plants in their subsequent growth. Rolling or pressing the earth over 
the seeds, will tend greatly to promote their vegetation, especially when the soil is 
loose and dry ; but when moist and heavy, if done at all, it should be done very 
lightly. 

If the ground be very dry at the time of sowing, let the seed be soaked a few hours 
in water strongly impregnated with sulpher or soot, and keep the ground moist by 
frequent watering. This will have a great tendency to forward the vegetation and 
prevent the ravages of insects. 

Transplanting is generally attended with the best success when performed imme- 
diately after the ground has been newly ploughed or dug; as it will then work light, 
and the moisture arising from newly stirred ground is highly beneficial to the growth 
of young plants. If the soil of the bed be dry when the plants are to be taken out of 
it, let it be watered freely, and then raise the plants carefully with a trowel or a flat, 
pointed stick •, and before setting them out, dip the roots into a mixture of rich mould 
or rotten manure and water, with the addition of a little lime or ashes, and reduced 
to the consistence of thick white-wash. This preparation is found highly beneficial 
to the young plants of cabbage, turnips and others when transplanted, by promoting 
their growth and preventing their roots from being injured by destructive insects. — 
In setting young pfents, the earth should be pressed a little over the roots, and raised 
around the stem, suflicient to support the plant, and prevent it from falling or lean- 
ing aside. The ground should be stirred often, and kept loose and light by frequent 
, hoeing through the season. 

A good garden, well supplied with useful vegetables, in a healthy, thriving state, 
kept neat and clean from weeds, affords a striking evidence that the cultivator pos- 
sesses a good portion of wisdom and economy, and is attentive to his business ; but 
when I see a garden containing a small quantity of sucli as are evidently from good 
seed, promiscuously planted, without order or regularity, faintly strugghng among 
the weeds for a feeble existence, I readily conclude -that the proprietor's mind needs 
cultivation, and that some noxious weeds of domestic or foreign growth have taken 
deep root there, which will require the strong hand of an industrious and persevering 
cultivator to eradicate. 

The numerous benefits afforded to a fnmily from a well cultivated garden, are too 
little considered by many of our country farmers, for their own interest and the 
health and prosperity of their families. The cheap and healthy varieties which may 
be furnished, (much less expensive, and far more healthy than the same quantity of 
meat without vegetables,") the pleasing and healthy exercise and enjoyment attending 
their cultivation is beyond description : indeed the cultivation and produce of a good 
garden are the life and health of a family, upon every principle of rational enjoy- 
ment and temporal economy. 



DZRSCTZONS FOR MAKING TKS HOT-BED. 



Such vegetables as are wanted for early use, or such as require the 
whole season to bring them to maturity, may be brought forward near- 
ly a month earlier, by being sown early in a hot-bed, and transplanted 
in the open ground, when the weather has become mild and the 
soil prepared for vegetation. The Celery, Lettuce, Pepper, Tom- 
ato, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Melon, &:c. are the kinds 
from which we receive the most advantage by artificial heat. 

To form a cheap and convenient hot-bed for a family Garden ; 
select a warm dry place, near the south side of a building or high 
wall ; make a boarded box or frame from 3 to 5 feet wide, and ex- 
tend it east and west to any convenient length ; but so construct- 
ed as to descend towards the south, about fifteen degrees from a 
level. This frame is to be covered with glazed sashes, fitted in 
tight on all sides, to prevent rats or mice from entering the enclo- 
sure. Within this frame put a quantity of unfermented horse ma- 
nure, with about one third part of short straw or leaves ; mix the 
whole well together by pitching it over, tread it even all over the 
bed, keeping it inclined to the south, as above directed : the depth 
of manure should be from 12 to 18 inches, according to the season, 
heat required, &gc. Then put on a layer of well rotted manure, three 
inches thick ; let the whole nov/ be covered with sashes or boards. 
If the weather be cold, put on a coat of straw or mats, keep it co- 
vered until the heat begins to rise, then cover the surface of the 
manure with rich garden mould, about eight inches deep, and lay on 
your sashes. As soon as the earth gets warm and of a proper tem- 
perature, stir the top of the bed thoroughly over and rake it fine, 
reserving enough of the fine mould to cover the seeds : mark your 
drills across the bed about four inches apart, and half an inch deep, . 
then sow your seeds and sift the mould equally over the whole, 
covering them about half an inch deep, press the surface with a 
board or back of the shovel equally all over ; put on the sashes, 
and cover with straw or mats, when exposed to frost. The bed 
will now require very close attention to keep the temperature right, 
if too hot, raise the covering to admit a circulation of air, or make 
holes in the bed with a sharpened stake ; if more heat is required, 
add some fresh manure to the outside of the bed. When the plants 
are up, give them water frequently, and air when the weather is 
mild. After the plants have attained sufficient size, and the wea- 
ther is fovorable, they may be transplanted into the open ground. 
In this climate we commence making our hot-beds, from the 20th 
to the end of March ; if plants are wanted earlier, we sow the seed 
in boxes of fine rich earth, about the first of March, and keep them 
in a warm place, exposed to the rays of the sun as much as possi- 
ble, and remove the plants into the hot-bed when they have at- 
tained sufficient size, and the bed is prepared for vegetation. 



TRACTICAL DIRECTIONS 
FOR THE 

CfJIiTIVATIOM OF VEOETABIiES. 

1. Asparagus. F. Asperge. S. Esparrago.* — This is a 
very delicious esculent vegetable, and easily cultivated, after 
the first operation of preparing the ground. It requires some 
of the deepest soil in the garden ; a rich, sandy loam is the 
best. The ground should be trenched or spaded up, and a 
plenty of rotten manure well mixed into the soil to the depth 
of one foot and a half. Then mark out your beds six feet 
wide, forming two feet alleys around them, by throwing up 
six inches top soil on the beds. Next use the rake and hoe, 
till the ground is well pulverized, and made level and smooth. 
Then mark out your drills one foot apart and two inches 
deep. Soak the seed twelve hours in warm water ; drop it 
about one inch apart in the row ; rake it in, and press the soil 
over the seed with a board or garden roller. When the young 
plants are up, hoe them carefully, and keep them clear of 
weeds through the season. After the second hoeing, pull out 
the weakest plants, leaving them about four inches apart. 

A bed of asparagus, we^l managed, will produce buds fit for 
cutting the third spring after sowing. The buds should be 
cut one inch or more below the surface of the ground. The 
cutting may be continued until the first of July ; then let it 
grow up, but hoe it frequently till it covers the ground. 

Spring dresssing. As soon as the ground is dry, so as to 
work light, separate the stalks from the ground with a hoe, 
cutting them off beneath the surface, and loosen the surface 
of the ground all over the beds. Some dry straw, litter or fine 
brush may be added to these stalks when dry, and the whole 
burnt together on the ground. This will promote the growth 
of the asparagus, and destroy many insects' eggs, seeds of 
weeds, &c. The ground should then be covered one inch 
thick or more with rotten manure or compost, well incorpo- 
rated with the soil above the roots ; then rake the beds smooth 
and level. An application of swamp earth, salt or brine spread 

* The French and Spanish names of the various vegetables are added to our com- 
mon English name, and marked with the letters F. and S., for the information of 
foreigners who purchase our seeds. 



on the beds, has been found to promote the growth of aspa- 
ragus. 

Though this vegetable grows naturally in a poor, sandy- 
soil, yet the sweetness and tenderness of the buds depend 
much on the rapidity of their growth, which is greatly pro- 
moted by richness of soil and good attendance. Beds of as- 
paragus may be formed by preparing the ground, as before 
stated, and transplanting the roots of two or three years' 
growth, setting them with the crown upwards, three inches 
below the surface. 

A good bed of asparagus, with proper management and 
strict attendance, will flourish and produce bountifully, for 
more than forty years, as proved by experience. 

Directions for cooking asparagus. Cut the buds when from 
three to six inches high ; clean them well in cold water, cut- 
ting off most of the white part, as that which grows beneath 
the surfaee of the ground is apt to be tough and bitter. Take 
water enough to cover the stalks, and put in salt sufficient to 
season them well ; boil and skim the water, then put in the 
asparagus. Be careful to take them up as soon as they be- 
come tender, so as to preserve their true flavor and green 
color ; for boiling a little too long will destroy both. Serve 
up with melted butter or cream. 

2. Beans. F. Feve. S. Haba. — A dry, warm soil, tole- 
rably rich, is the best for beans. The ground should be worked 
fine and mellow. Plant, for early use, from the 20th of April 
to the 1st of May. The early kinds may be planted in drills 
two and a half feet apart, and at the distance of three inches 
in the row, or in hills a foot- apart. 

The Early Purple is the earliest bean, and consequently 
preferred for early use. The Early China and Early White 
are excellent, either for stringing or shelling : they will be fit 
for use, if the season is favorable, in about six weeks from 
planting. The Royal White is a large, rich bean, excellent 
for shelling. This kind should be planted in rows three feet 
apart, and if in hills, two feet from each other, with four beans 
in a hill ; if in drills, six inches apart in the row. The Run- 
ning or Pole Beans should be planted in hills, three and a half 
feet distant each way. They should be planted as early as 
possible, in a rich, mellow soil. We prefer setting the poles 
before planting. For this purpose we stretch a line, and set 
the poles by it ; then dig and loosen the earth, and drop five 



or six beans in a circle round the pole, about three inches 
from it, and cover with mellow dirt one inch or one and a 
half in depth. When the plants are well up, stir the earth 
around them, and pull out the weakest plants, leaving three 
to each hill. This should be done when they are perfectly 
drv ; for bean's never should be hoed when wet, nor when 
any dew is on them. 

The green pods of beans may be kept and preserved fresh 
by laying them down in a jar or tub, with a layer of salt be- 
tween each layer of beans. 

:?. Beet. F. Betterave. S. Betarraga. — Prepare your 
ground as early in the spring as it will work light and mel- 
low, by ploughing or digging to the depth of eighteen inches. 
A deep, rich soil produces the finest roots. If a small bed of 
the earliest kinds is sown as early as the season will admit, 
they will be fit for use in June. After making your beds fine 
and smooth, mark out the drills eighteen inches apart, and 
one inch deep ; drop the seeds along the drills, two inches 
apart ; cover them, and press the soil a little over the seeds. 
When the plants are up and sufficiently strong, thin them to 
the distance of six inches apart in the rows. The ground 
should be often hoed round the plants, and kept free from 
weeds. Beets for early use, should be sowed about the first of 
May ; for winter use, two or three weeks later, the beds kept 
clean through the summer, and the roots taken up before hard 
frosts in the fall. Care should be taken in cutting off'the tops, 
not to mjure the crown. 

A good method of preserving beets fresh through the win- 
ter is, to lay them in a circular form on the bottom of the 
cellar^ with the roots in the centre and heads outward ; cover 
the first course of roots with moist sand ; then lay another 
course upon them, and cover with sand as before, and so on 
till all are packed and covered. 

The Mangel Wurtzel and Scarcity Beet, also the Yellow 
Swedish or Ruta baga turnip, are often raised to great per- 
fection by field culture, for which we give the following di- 
rections : 

Field culture. Select a deep mellow soil ; if not suflicientlj- rich, make it so with 
well rotted manure, thoroiiglily mixed with the soil to the depth of a foot or more. 
This should he done by ploughing and harrowing when the ground is in good order 
16 work light and fine. You may then throw up moderate ridges with the plough, 
about the distance of three feet apart. Pulverize and level the top of the ridges with 
a rake. Then, with a dibble or with the fingers, make holes on the centre of the 
ridge, two inches deep, and eight inches apart ; and for beets, drop two seeds in each 
hole, and cover with fine dirt, pressing it a little over the seed. For the Swedish or 
Ruta baga turnip, we generally prefer sowing the seed in a bed of light, mellow soil, 
ftom the 1st to the 10th of July. After having attained a sufficient size for trans- 



9 

planting, the ground being prepared as before directed for beets, set the plants about 
ten inches apart in the row ; while the plants are young, the ground should be often 
stirred around thein, and kept clean from weeds through the season. The horse 
plough should be often used between the rows, especially in dry, hot weather. 

The average crop of these roots, on good land, with proper management, is about 
tifteen tons to the acre". The quantity of seed required for the mangel wurtzel or 
scarcity beet, is about four pounds to the acre : for the ruta baga or Swedish turnip, 
about one pound and a half. To quicken vegetation, the beet seed in particular, 
should be soaked tv.enty-four hours in warm water. 

There are various metho Is of field culture recommended and practised by different 
people. Some sow the seed broad cast ; others in rows' on level ground, from ten 
inches to four feet apart : some sow or transplant on moderate ridges, and others 
on very high ridges. But tliose who have had most experience in this branch 
of agriculture, will doubtless find their own experienae and judgment the most suc- 
cessful guide ; and those who have not, may follovy the directions we have given, 
with such deviations as the nature, situation and circumstances of their soil, accord- 
ing to their best judgment, may require ; and experience will doubtless prove the 
best teacher in the end. 

These roots are highly and justly recommended for feeding milch cows in the fall 
and winter, and especially in the spring, if well preserved; also for fattening beef 
and pork. If fed in the raw state, they should be cut fine ; if boiled, a little Indian 
meal or bran may be mixed with them. 



4. Cabbage. F. Chou. S. Col. — This vegetable requires 
a light, rich, and rather moist soil The seed may be sown 
about the middle of May, either in a bed for transplanting, or 
where they are intended to grow. The transplanting should 
be done when the' ground is light, just before a shower, or in 
cloudy, moist weather, but never when the ground is wet arid 
heavy. Before transplanting,, (if the soil is not free from 
worms) dip the roots in a mixture made of rich mould and 
water, with some tobacco dust or juice, soot and ashes stirred 
in ; this is a preventative against worms eating the roots, which 
often causes the plants to die or grow stump footed. They 
should be hoed often while young, at least twice a week ; 
the best time for hoeing is when the dew is on. If lice 
should appear on the plants, wet them with a strong decoc- 
tion of tobacco, put on with a small brush, or rubbed on 
with the hand. 

Cabbage should be secured before very cold weather ; they 
should be pulled when dry, and placed with their heads down- 
wards, until the water is drained off from the heads, for the 
drier they are put in the cellar, the better they keep : a cool, 
dry cellar is the best for cabbage ; if they are put in a wet 
cellar, they will keep best to set thern on boards, with their 
roots up ; but if the cellar be tolerable dry, they will be better 
to set upright, in rows, with a small pole between each row, 
and their roots covered with dirt. 



5. Cauliflower. F. Choiffleur. S. Coliflor. — This requires 
he best of rich, light soil. The early kind is most suitable 
for this climate. It should be sown about the 20th of Sep- 
tember, for spring use ; and it requires much care to keep 

A. 2. 



10 

them during the winter. For fall use, they may be sown in 
a hot bed in March, or in the open ground about the 20th of 
May. They should be protected from the northwest winds 
by walls or hedges, and great pains must be taken in every 
stage of their growth, as the extremes of heat and cold ope- 
rate very unfavorably upon them. 

To cook CauJijloicer. Cut it when close and white, and of 
a middling size ; cut the stem so as to separate the flower 
from the leaves below it. Let it lie in salt and water awhile ; 
then put it into boiling water, with a handful of salt. Keep 
the boiler uncovered, and skim the water well. A small 
flower will require about fifteen minutes boiling — a large one 
about twenty. Take it up as soon as a fork will easily enter 
the stem : a little longer boiling will spoil it. Serve it up with 
gravy or melted butter. 

6. Carrot. F. Carotte. S. Zanahoria. — The long orange 
or red is generally preferred, both for garden and field cul- 
ture : the short orange is the earliest and deepest color. 

Soil. Carrots require a light, mellow soil, with a mixture 
of sand. The ground should be dug or trenched deep, and 
well broken up, in order to give plenty of room for the roots 
to penetrate into the soil ; it should also be made fine, smooth 
and level. 

Sowing. As the seeds have a fine, hairy furze on the 
borders or edges, by which they are apt to cling together, 
they should be well rubbed between the hands in order to se- 
parate them. To forward vegetation, they should be soaked 
in warm water about twenty four hours, and then mixed with 
dry sand, so as to separate them as much as possible in sow- 
ing. They should be sown in a calm time, and scattered as 
equally as possible. 

The seed should be sown in drills about an inch in depth ; 
the rows from eighteen to twenty inches apart, so as to give 
plenty of room to hoe between them. Some recommend from 
nine to twelve inches, and others from eight to ten : this may 
answer in small famity gardens, where the land is scarce ; 
but where there is a sufficiency of ground, the carrots are 
more easily cultivated, and will thrive better and grow larger 
at a greater distance. 

FicJd culture. The best soil for field carrots is a deep, rich, sandy loam. To obtain 
a good crop, the soil should be a foot deep at least, and well prepared by very deep 
ploujjhins; and thorough harrowing, so as to make the ground perfectly mellow, 
smooth and level. It is a matter of importance to wet the seed and cause it to swell, 
so as to hasten vegetation ; because the weeds are apt to start very quick after sow- 
ing, and if the seed is not quickened, the weeds will get up and overpower the car- 



11 

rots, before they get large enough to hoe. The seed may be sown in drills, as direct- 
ed for garden culture or on moderate ridges, from two to three feet apart,' and culti- 
vated between the rows with a horse plough. In hoeing, they should be'ihinned to 
tlu-ee or four inches apart in the rows. Two pounds of seed is considered sufficient 
to sow an acre of ground in drills two feet apart. 

Carrots are excellent for fattening beef, and for milch cows. Horses are remark- 
ably fond of them. When cut up sHnall, and mixed with cut straw* and given them 
with a little hay, it is said they may be kept in excellent condition for any kind of or- 
dinary labor, without any grain. 

7. Celery, F. Czleri. S. Apio.— The White Solid is con- 
sidered the best kind of celery. We have had the best crops 
by sowing the seed the latter part of March, in a hot bed. 
After the plants have attained the height of about six inches, 
they may be transplanted into trenches. Select, for this pur- 
pose, a piece of rich ground, in an open exposure ; lay out 
your trenches about eighteen inches wide, allowing six' feet 
space between each trench ; plough or spade out the earth from 
the trenches to the depth of sixteen or eighteen inches, if the 
depth of soil will admit ; put about three inches of very rotten 
manure into the trench ; then throw in upon this manure about 
five inches of the best soil ; mix and stir the manure and soil 
well together ; then set your plants by a line in the centre of 
the trench, leaving a space of four inches between each plant. 
If the weather be dry, water the plants freely. They shouid 
be shaded till the roots strike and the plants begin to grow ; 
the covering should be taken off at night. 

When they have attained the height of ten inches, you may 
commence earthing them up ; but never do it while the plants 
are wet. In performing this, care should be taken to gather 
all the leaves up with the hand while drawing the earth up 
equally on each side of the row, being careful to leave the 
hearts of the plants open. Repeat the earthing once a week 
or oftener, till about the last week in October; then bury the 
whole with dirt, to remain till time for digging. 

Celery may also be raised by sowing the seed in a rich, 
moist soil, and removing it into trenches as before directed ; 
or by sowing it in the trenches where it is to grow. As the 
seed vegetates very slowly, it should be soaked in warm wa- 
ter for twenty- four hours before sowing. To preserve it 
through the winter, dig it before the ground freezes deep, and 
pack it away in casks or tubs with dry sand, and keep it in 
the cellar. Some recommend to cover the ridges with boards., 
and dig the celery as it is wanted for use. This may answer 
in a dry, sandy soil ; but iti a wet or moist soil it is apt to rot 
and spoil. 

8. Corn F. Mais. S. i\faa.— The Early Canada is tha 



12 

, earliest kind of corn we raise, ^nd is preferred only for being 
several weeks earlier than the common field corn. The sweet 
or sugar corn is the best for cooking in its green state, as it 
remains much longer in the milk, and is richer and sweeter 
than any other kind. It is rather later than the common field 
• corn, and is therefore fit for the table when the field corn has 
become too hard. Alluvial, or any gravelly or sandy soil, if 
made sufficionlly rich and properly cultivated, will produce a 
good crop. It should not be planted till the weather becomes 
settled and warm, and the soil sufficiently dry. It may be 
planted in hills, like the common field corn, or in a garden 
in drills, like broom corn ; as in this way a larger crop may 
be produced from the same quantity of ground. Care should 
be taken that no other kind of corn be planted near it, as by 
intermixing it will soon become adulterated and injure the 
crop. This corn may be preserved for winter use, by par- 
boiling it when green, and cutting it from the cob and drying 
it in the sun. It then affords a wholesome and agreeable 
dish when cooked like bean pomdge, or what is called suc- 
cotash. 



9. Cucumher. F. Concomber. S. Cohamhro. — The, early 
kinds are mcst suitable for early planting. For the purpose 
of obtaining them very early, some plant the seed in a hot bed, 
or in elevated hills, well manured with rotton horse-dung, and 
covered with glazed frames. But in order to grow fair, hand- 
some cucumbers, the soil should be rich, light and warm, and 
well mixed with rotten manure ; or a good shovel full may 
be put into each hill, and thoroughly mixed with the soil in 
the hill. We generally plant the early kinds about the first 
of May, in hills about four feet apart each way, elevating the 
hills a little above the level of the ground. Put in eight or 
ten seeds into each hill, and cover them half an inch deep 
with fine dirt_, and, as in all other planting, press the earth a 
little over the seeds with the back of the hoe. 

When the plants are up, examine them closely, as ihey 
are frequently attacked by the yellow bug or fly. To prevent 
this, take rye flour, sifted ashes and ground plaster, equal 
parts of each, well mixed together, and dust the plants all over 
with it. If the plants are dry, sprinkle them with water be- 
fore you dust them. Snufl", tobacco dust, or the stalks 
boiled in water, soot, or a decoction of elder and walnut 
leaves, are all very good to prevent small bugs and insects 
from injuring any young plants. Keep the ground loose and 



13 

clear of weeds, and in dry weather water your plants freely. 
After they have attained a vigorous growth, and the danger 
from insects is over, they may be thinned out, leaving two of 
the most thrifty in a hill. 

Those intended for pickling may be planted from the 10th 
to the 20th of June. If the soil is rich and warm, the 20th 
is preferred. The long kinds are preferred by some for 
pickles. The cultivation and management of these is the same 
as the others, excepting that the hills should be»at least five 
feet a.part each way. Some gardeners recommend nipping 
off the first runner bud of cucumbers and melons, from an 
idea that they will become more stocky and fruitful. 



10. Lettuce. F. Laitue. S. Lachuga. — Lettuce requires 
a mellow soil. It should be sown as early'in the spring as 
possible : to insure a very early supply, it may be sown late 
in the fall — it will then start early in the spring ; but to ob- 
tain a constant and regular supply through the season^ it 
should be sown every month from March to September. It 
may be sown broad-cast, moderately thin, or in rows from 
twelve to eighteen itiches distant, according to the usual size 
of the diiferent kinds. Rake in the seed lightly, with a fine 
tooth garden rake. When the plants are up, stir the ground 
lightly while it is dry, and clear out the weeds : thin the 
plants where they crowd each other. Those intended for 
large heads should stand eight or ten inches apart : the hardy 
kinds, such as the early green, early curled and ice coss, may 
be sown in Septem.ber, and covered with straw at the approach 
of severe winter. Or any kind may be sown in a hot bed 
in March, and transplanted in the open ground at the proper 
season. 



11. Melon, F. and S. the same. — This plant requires a 
warm gravelly or sandy soil, made very rich with well rotted 
manure from the hog-pen, or rich old compost, well mixed 
with the soil. The hills may be formed after the manner re- 
commended for cucumbers. But if the natural soil is not 
sufficiently warm for melons, then dig a hole of sufficient size, 
and put in a large shovel full of rotten horse dung ; upon this 
put the compost or rotten hog dung, with a quart of slacked 
lime : then add some good mellow soil, and mix it up well on 
the surface without disturbing the horse dung at the bottom. 
The hills may be made from six to eight feet apart ; for wa- 



14 

ter melons, on rich, warm fand, where they grow most thrif- 
ty, nine feet is near enough. 

Plant about the middle of May, if the weather be warm and 
the ground in good order. The seed should be soaked a few 
hours in warm milk and water, with a little soot in it. Put 
six or eight seeds in a hill, and cover half an inch deep. — 
When the plants become strong and thrifty, so as to be. out 
of danger, pull out the weakest, leaving only two in each 
hill ; indeed*one would always be sufficient, if secure from 
all accidents. The ground should be often hoed round the 
hills, and kept loose and light. If you would raise good mel- 
ons, you must plant them remote from any other vines ; for 
in the vicinity of cucumbers, squashes, pumpkins, gourds and 
the like, they will infallibly degenerate. In this respect, 
therefore, they require great care and attention. To se- 
cure them from the ravages of insects, pursue the directions 
given for cucumbers. [See page 12.] 

12. Mustard. F. MoiUard. S. Moslaza, — The white and 
broad leaf kinds are excellent for salad or greens. They 
should be sown very early in the spring, in a rich, warm soil, 
in shallow drills, len inches apart, and kept clean from weeds. 
After the crop is off, the ground may be planted with cucum- 
bers for pickling, or used for a succession of salad or radish- 
es. The brown mustard seed is the best for grinding : it is a 
palatable and healthy condiment, and may be sown broad- 
cast or in drills, and kept clean from weeds. 



13. Onion. F. Oignon. S. Cebolla. — Onions require a 
rich mellow soil, rather moist and sandy or gravelly. A 
heavy clammy, or a dry clayey soil will not do for them. — 
They grow well on an alluvial soil, such as is made by the 
overflowing of rivers and streams, or from the wash of hills. 
The ground requires to be well worked and made completely 
mellow by ploughing and harrowing, and then raked over 
with an iron tooth rake, so as to break the clods and pulver- 
ize the soil. If not sufficiently rich, it may be made so by 
a plentiful supply of good manure, well rotted. Dung from 
the hog-pen is considered the oest manure for onions; though 
any rich and well rotted manure will answer. The manu- 
ring must be repeated annually ; because onions h;ive a nat- 
ural tendency to impoverish the soil ; but if well manured, 
they will do better on the same ground many years. The 
manure may be put on in the fall and ploughed in. Plough the 
ground again in the spring, as early as it can.be done after 



16 

the frost is out. Work it over thoroughly^ and prepare it for 
sowing as early as the season will admit. 

When the ground is sufficiently leveled and pulverized, 
stake out your rows, draw your garden line, and make your 
drills about 16 inches apart, so as to afford sufficient room 
for hoeing between the rows. The drills should not be more 
than an inch in depth ; if the ground is moist, three fourths 
of an inch will answer. The seed (if good) should be sowed 
sparingly. Many are very apt to put in too much seed, and 
of course must thin out a large portion, *or have a crop of 
small onions. Good seed, well put in will not fail to come 
up well. After the seed is in, rake lightly over the drills, . 
lengthwise ; and when the seed is all covered, if you have 
a small light garden roller, (which should be kept in every 
garden, J draw it carefully over the bed from end to end of the 
rows, till the whole is rolled. If you have no roller, take a 
long board and lay it lengthwise on the rows and walk on it; 
then move it to the next row, and proceed on in this manner 
till the whole bed is pressed. This will make the seed come 
up more even and equal. 

When the onions are fairly up the weeding and hoeing 
should be immediately attended to. If they are too thick, thin 
them out so as to let them stand two or three inches apart ; but 
this should be carefully done, so as not to disturb those that re- 
main. It is better to do the thinning by degrees, at each suc- 
cessive hoeing, rather than all at once, as the little black 
grubs will sometimes thin them off too rapidly. The ground 
must be often hoed and kept clean of weeds, or they will not 
do well. 

Onions will sometimes run to scallions. having a thick, 
stocky neck and little or no bulb. To prevent this, some re- 
commend breaking the tops down, when they have attained 
their full growth. But if the ground is suitable and well pre- 
pared; if good seed is sown, and properly cultivated, there is lit- 
tle danger of scallions; besides it is not a very good practice to 
break the tops down. The onions will be ripe in September. 
When the tops are sufficiently dry^ pull the onions and let 
them lie a few days in the sun to dry ; then gather them up 
and house them. They may be kept through the winter, by 
spreading them on shelves in a cool dry cellar. Some pre- 
fer bunching them up which is a very good plan to keep them 
dry. k damp warm cellar will cause them to sprout and rot, 
which should be avoided. 

14. Parsley. F. Persil. S. Peregil — This plant should 



16 

have a good rich soil, and rtiay. be sown at almost any 
time. For early spring use it is sometimes sown late in the 
fall, and the ground covered with straw; it is also sov/n early in 
the spring — also in March, April, Mayor June. But as the 
seed vegetates slowly, it should be soaked in warm water from 
twelve to twenty-four hours. In order to hasten vegetation, 
some recommend mixing sulphur with the water. Jf sown in 
the spring and frequently cut, the plants shoot up more thick 
and stocky, and afford a plentiful supply through the whole 
season. It should \>e kept free from weeds. 

15. Parsnip. F. Panais. S. Pastinaca. — This vegetable 
requires a deep, rich, mellow soil, free from stones and coarse 
gravel. A sandy loam is accounted the best. If the soil be 
suitable, it will not require much manure, as. parsnips do not 
impoverish the soil like onions, and they may be raised from 
year to year on the same ground. As the seed is very light 
and vegetates slowly, it should be soaked or kept wet for 
several days before sowing. Let the ground be ploughed or 
dug and worked deep, and well harrowed and raked over, so 
as to make a smooth, level surface. Sow the seed in drills, 
eighteen or twenty inches apart, and as early in the season 
as the ground can be prepared, the earlier the better, to insure 
a good crop. The seed may be covered an inch or more in 
depth. 

As parsnips require the whole season to come to maturity, 
and are not fit for use till ripe, other seeds that come off early, 
may be sown with them, such as lettuce, radishes, and beets 
or carrots that are to be pulled early in the season, when, the 
roots are small. 

When the plants are two or three inches high, let them be 
thinned so as to stand from four to six inches apart. Hoe 
them and keep them clear of weeds till the leaves get so large 
as to cover the ground ; after which they will need no further 
attention till you come to dig them. Some let them stand in 
the ground through the winter, and they are generally con- 
sidered the better for it, provided they are dug as soon as the 
frost is out of the ground, for if they are left until they begin 
to sprout, their good qualities are much impaired. But if they 
are dug in the fall, they should be put into a cold cellar or 
out-house and covered with dirt or sand, as they are liable to 
dry up in a dry room if left uncovered. They ought to be 
dug carefully, without cutting or bruising, nor should the tops 
be cut close, nor the side roots be cut off; otherwise they are 



17 

apt to rot or turn bitter where they are cut or bruised. If 
put into a warm cellar they are apt to sprout, which soon 
spoils them ; but frost will not injure them at all, neither in 
the ground nor in the cellar, if covered with sand or earth. 

Parsnips are often raised ii! fields tcvery good profit ; for 
besides their uses in a family, they are excellent food for 
neat cattle, sheep, hogs or horses. Beef fatted oq parsnips 
is said to command a higher price in England than fatted in 
any other way. Milch cows fed on parsnips, are said to give 
richer milk, and yield more butter, than from any other food. 
Hogs are also said to fatten very easily on them, and to pro- 
duce superior pork. All these things prove parsnips to be a 
very valuable crop, and well worth the farmer's attention. 

' 16. Peas. F, Pols. S. Guiso.nte. — There are many vari- 
eties of peas ; we however cultivate but four or five kinds. — 
For the early kinds the soil should be strong and rich ; and 
moderately rich for the later kinds. Fresh stable dung is 
considered injurious to peas. A sandy loam, enriched with 
decomposed vegetable matter will produce good peas. — 
Swamp muck spread on the ground and ploughed in, is a valu- 
able manure. For early crops, more especially, the soil 
should be light; and a dry, warm soil is the most favorable. 
All peas raised in a garden, in order to produce a good crop, 
should be supported with branching sticks or brush. They 
should be sown in drills, the smaller kinds two inches in depth, 
at least, and the larger kind still deeper, four inches, some say 
six inches is none too deep, as they take better hold of the 
soil, which in a light soil is a great advantage. 

We commonly plant two rows, five or six inches apart, for 
one row of sticks. The space between the rows of sticks must 
be regulated according to the size ofthe different kind bf vines: 
for the Early Frame, Early Petersburg, or Early Washing- 
ton, about three feet apart ; the Large Marroivfat or Green 
Marrowfat require at least four feet space. As the plants 
rise to three or four inches in height they should be well 
hoed and cleared of weeds, and the soil drawn up around 
them while the vines are dry : this should be continued as 
they rise higher. When from six to ten inches high the 
sticking should be done. Let the sticks be fixed firm in the 
earth, so as not to be blown down'by hard winds. The sticks 
or brush, as to height, must be regulated according to the 
height ofthe peas ; some grow much taller than others, and 
of course need taller brush to support them. 



18 

• 

Field culture. — The common method of raising field peas is to sow them broad-cast. 
In this case tliey sliould be sowh much thicker than many farmers sow them, 
and be ploughed in. There is very little danger of burying them too deep, it is said 
they will vegetate and c«me up if buried a foot deep. Peas sown thin are very apt 
to fall down, and if the season be wet, they will rot on the ground ; but if they are 
sowed thick, they will cling together and support each other, and yield much better 
by having more benefit of the sun and air. 

Many people are much afflicted with buggy peas, especially in the old settlements. 
This is occasioned by a small brown bug that deposits its eggs or larva in the young 
pods. Tlie only eflectual remedy against this, that we know of, is to sow the peas 
late; .so that they will not blossom till the period of depositing the larva is past. — 
For this purpose they should not be sown before the 10th of June. We are inform- 
ed that a respectable farmer in FLensselaer county sowed his peas on the 10th of 
June six years in succession, and never found a bug in them; while his neighbors 
who sowed earlier had their peas filled with bugs. If your seed peas contain bugs, 
we would recommend to scald them by putting them into a tub or pail, and pouring 
in boiling water enough to cover them, and stirring them briskly about a minute ; 
then po!u- off the water and add a little cold water to them and sow them soon. — 
This will destroy the bugs without injuring the peas ; and they will vegetate the 
sooner. But if your peas are buggy, your ground will require moressed: because 
when the chit of the pea is destroyed by the bug in it, the pea will not come up. 

17. Pepper. F. Phnent. S. Pimiento. — As these re- 
quire the whole season to come to maturity, they must be 
sowed early. Our method is to sow them in a hot-bed very 
early in the spring, and cover them with glazed sashes, 
when the weather is cold, to prevent injury by frost. They 
will be large enough to transplant in May, and may be 
transplanted in rows about two feet apart each way. Hoe 
them well and keep them clear of weeds ; and if the soil is 
light and warm, they will come to maturity in good season. 
The squash pepper is reckoned the best for pickling 

18. Pepper Grass, or Curled Cress. S. Berros. — This 
will grow on any common soil ; but a light, rich soil is the 
most favorable to it. It should be sown in drills, about 
twelve inches apart, for the convenience of weeding, and 
may be put in at any time from early in the spring to Sep- 
tember. When it is up sufficiently large for sallad, it may be cut 
up as it js wanted for use ; but it soon becomes too large and 
tough, and therefore should be sown once in two or three 
weeks in order to ensure a constant supply through the season. 

19. Radish. F. Rave. 8. Naha. — A light sandy, warm 
soil produces the best radishes. For the long tap-rooted 
kinds the gro'ird should be ploughed deep and well worked 
over to mok: che soil mellow. They do not require a very 
strong soil ; but if not sufficiently rich, it may be manured 
with swamp muck or other light vegetable mould. A little 
lime and strong ashes mixed with this manure, or strewed in 
the drills before sowing, will be highly beneficial in quicken- 
ing the growth of the plants and destroying worms which in 
some soils nearly spoil the roots : for the more rapid 



19 

the growth, the more tender and better is the root ; and for 
this reason it is difficult to have good radishes very early in 
the season, without raising them in a hot-bed or in a very 
warm soil. Hence those raised in June or July, (if the sea- 
son be not too dry,) generally grow the quickest, and if eaten 
when young, are the most tender and crisp ; though they will 
do well in May, and even in September, if the weather be 
warm. 

To ensure a constant supply of good radishes, they should 
be sown*once a fortnight during the warm season. They 
may be sown in drills twelve or fourteen inches apart, and 
covered half an inch deep. They must not be left too thick, 
as it tends to inake the tops run up while the roots will be 
small and stringy and consequently tough. 

The black or winter radish does not require so much at- 
tention ; its culture is much the same as the common turnip, 
and {oY winter use, may be sown about the same time. 



20. Saffron. F. Saffran. S. Azafran. — We generally 
sow this seed in double drills, about six inches apart, with a 
space of 3 feet between these double rows, for the conveni- 
ence of passing arid repassing to gather the flowers. • They 
should stand from three to six inches apart in the drills, and 
be well looked to and kept clear of weeds while growing. — 
When the flowers begin to appear they should be strictly at- 
tended to, and gathered into baskets once in two or three 
days, as long as they continue to blossom. These flowers 
may be spread on sheets, or on a clean floor to dry ; and 
when sufficiently dried, may be packed away for use. 



21. Sage. F. Sauge. S. Salvia. — This useful herb re 
quires a good rich soil, and may be sown in drills, about two 
feet apart. When of sufficient size for culinary purposes, it 
may be thinned out as it is wanted. The plants intended to 
be kept over the winter must finally be left at the distance of 
two feet each way. These may stand through the winter, 
covered with straw or litter, or they may be taken up and put 
into the cellar. After the first year they will grow and bear 
seed a number of years in succession ; but new seed should 
be sown once in three or four years, as young roots produce 
the most thrifty shoots. The leaves that are to be preserved 
for use, may be collected and dried, and packed away for fu- 
ture use. Our botanist press them into hard packages and 



20 

put them up in papers for market — we also grind and sift it, 
and put it up in that state for the sausage makers. 

22. — Salsify or Vegetable Oyster. F. Salsifi. S. Salsifi. — 
This vegetable, in appearance, resembles a small parsnip ; it 
is raised annually from the seed, and. may be cultivated in 
the same manner as parsnips or carrots, and is as easily 
raised. 

It is a vegetable highly esteemed by those best acquainted 
vi^ith it. 

There are various modes of dressing and cooking this veg- 
etable. It is very excellent boiled and mashed up like 
squash or turnip, with a little salt and butter. Some make 
soup of it ; in that case it should be boiled and mashed fine 
in order to increase the flavor of the soup ; a few pieces of 
salt codfish added, gives it a good relish. Others prefer it 
parboiled and then sliced up and fried in batter, or without. 
A writer in the Massachusetts Agricultural Repository^ ob- 
serves that "In its taste it so strongly resembles the oyster, 
that when sliced and fried in batter, it can hardly be distin- 
guished from it ;" and adds, " If your gardeners would in- 
troduce it into market, and our citizens once try it, there 
would be no danger of its ever failing hereafter to be raised. 
It is in eating from November to May, precisely the period 
in which our vegetable market is most deficient in variety.'' 

23. Savory Summer. F. Sariette de Vete. — This plant 
will grow in almost any soil. It may be sown in drills about 
twelve or fourteen inches apart, so as to pass a hoe freely be- 
tween the rows. Let it be kept clean from weeds, and if it 
comes up too tliick, let it be gradually thinned out as it is wan- 
ted for use, and it will not require any further trouble. To 
dry it for winter use, it should be cut when in blossom, and 
spread on the floor of an upper room or garret, where it can 
have air, and not be exposed to the sun. When it is suffi- 
ciently dry, tie it up in bunches and wrap it in paper, or put 
it away in clean bags for future use. 



24:. Spinach or Spinage. F. Espinard. S. Espinaca. — The 
round leaf spinage, which is the most useful kind, may be 
sown in April. It requires but little space in a family gar- 
den ; one row of a suitable length, on the border of a garden, 
or beside the alley will suffice, but the value of the plant for 
greens depends much on the richness of the soil. It requires 
some attention while young to keep it clear of we^s; and if 
the weather be dry it will need frequent watering. 



21 

25. Squash. F. Giraunion. S. Especie de la Calahaza. — 
Squashes require to be treated much after the manner of 
melons and cucumbers. The Lima Cocoanut, or Valparai- 
so squash, as called by some, should be planted early, on a 
rich, warm soil, as it requires the whole season to 
come to maturity. This and the Winter crook-neck, as they 
produce running vines, require to be planted in hills at 
the distance of six or eight feet, but before they begin to run, 
the weakest plants should be taken out, leaving not more than 
two in a hill. The Summer Crook-neck and the Summer- 
Scollop, being what are c^Wed hush squashes, as they have 
no running vines, may be planted in hills about four 
feet apart each way. These must be cooked while young 
and the skin, tender, as they are unfit for the table after they 
begin to be hard. The Summer crook-neck is esteemed as the 
richest and best summer squash we cultivate ; but it is not so 
productive as the Summer Scollop. The Lima Cocoanut, 
when baked in the oven, is considered by some to be equal to 
the Carolina Potatoe, to which in taste it bears a near resem- 
blance : the first seeds we planted of this squash cost us six- 
pence a seed. 



26. Tomato or Love Apple. F. Tomate. S. Tomalera. — 
This plant while growing has somewhat the appearance of a 
hill of potatoes. It is a South American plant, and bears its 
fruit on the branches, much resembling the squash pepper. — 
We shall notice but two kinds, the large and small, of which 
there is no material difference, except in the size, and the ri- 
pening of the smaller kind a little sooner ; but the larger kind 
is generally preferred for common use. 

To obtain early fruit, the seed should be sown in a hot-bed 
or in boxes of light, loose earth, about the middle of March. — 
The bed or boxes should be exposed to the rays of the sun as 
much as possible, and be secured from the frost, and have a 
sprinkling of water when the earth appears dry. The 
plants may be carefully removed into the open ground as 
soon as the season will permit. They may be set in a row 
along the border of the garden, allowing three feet distance be- 
tween the plants, and be supported by a fence or trellis ; or 
they may be planted in rows at four feet distance each way ; 
but in this case, care must be taken to keep the branches from 
the ground, which may easily be done by setting small crotch- 
es on each side of the rows and laying small poles on them. — 



22 

This will preserve the goodness and increase the quantity of 
the fruit. 

Tomatoes may also'^be brought to perfection by sowing the 
seed in a warm, light soil, about the first week in May ; and 
if the situation be favorable, with good management, the pro- 
duct will be abundant. 

There are but few who relish the tomato at the first taste ; 
and few who are not extremely fond of it when properly 
cooked and they become accustomed to it. It is considered 
by physicians and others acquainted with its effects, not on- 
ly a very delicious, but a very harmless and wholesome veg- 
etable ; indeed some will give a decided preference to a dish 
of tomato sauce or a tomato pie, when properly prepared, to 
any thing of the kind in the vegetable kingdom. The expe- 
rience of several years in raising and using this vegetable in 
various ways, enables us to recommend it to all who are de- 
sirous of obtaining a cheap and delicious fruit for the table. 
There is no vegetable more easily raised, and none better pay 
the cultivator where they are generally knov^n. They are 
used in various wayS;, either raw, with sugar, or stewed for 
sauce, or in friccasses and soups ; for catsup or gravy for 
meat, and for pies or preserves, as well as for pickles and 
sweet-meats. 

For the information of those not acquainted with the toma- 
to, who may wish to try the experiment, we give the follow- 
ing directions for preparing and cooking. Take them when 
ripe and red, dip them into scalding water, and take off all 
the skin, cut in quarters and scrape out the seeds ; then put 
them into a clean stew pan and let them simmer about fifteen 
minutes, then put in a little butter and pepper, stir them a 
few minutes and they are done. Some prefer adding some 
crumbs of wheat bread or grated crackers. For pies or 
preserves the tomato requires a little more sugar than the 
peach to make it equally palatable. The process of making- 
is much the same as with other fruit. Tomatoes may be 
preserved fresh by covering them with sugar. The green 
fruit is often pickled, like the cucumber or pepper. When 
prepared according to the following directions they make an 
excellent sauce or gravy for meat or fish. 

Tomato Catchup or Catsup. — Collect the fruit when fully 
ripe, before any frosts appear, squeeze or bruise them well, 
and boil them slowly for half an hour, then strain them 
through a cloth, and put in salt, pepper and spices to suit the 
taste, then boil again and take off the scum that rises, so as 



23 

to leave the liquor in its pure state ; keep it boiling slowly 
until full one third of the juice is diminished, then let it cool 
and put it into clear glass bottles, corked tight and kept in a 
cool place for use. After standing awhile, should any sedi- 
ment appear in .the bottles, the liquor should be poured ofl' 
into other bottles, and again corked tight. 

27. Tiirvip. F. Navet. S. Naho. — The early fiat turnip 
may be sown for early use in March or April — also in May 
and June for summer use, as those sown early become rath- 
er tough and stringy, and run up to seed in the latter part of 
the season. They may be sown broad-cast or in drills, fif- 
teen or sixteen inches apart, and thinned out to three or four 
inches distant in the rows, and if the soil is good, light and 
mellow, they will thrive well, and afford a healthy and nour- 
ishing variety to other summer vegetables. The Flat Field 
turnip is the most suitable for fall and winter use, and should 
not be sown till the last of July or first of August, or still la- 
ter ; many prefer the 10th of August. In a favorable sea- 
son they will do well if sown the last of August or first of 
September ; they have indeed been found to be much sweet- 
er and better in the southern part of this State than those 
sown earlier. But with us it is not safe to sow so late, as 
the cold season may set in early, and stop their growth. 

Newly cleared land is found to be the best for these, as it 
generally produces the largest and sweetest turnips, and they 
are less exposed to the depredations of insects. A sandy or 
gravelly loam is reckoned the most favorable soil, and they 
will generally do well if sown on a green sward that has been 
turned up to a good depth the preceding spring, and yarded 
with cattle or sheep, with repeated harrowing during the 
time, in order to mix the manure with the soil. Before sow- 
ing, plow the ground again, make it smooth and level with 
harrowing, and at a time when the ground is sufficiently 
moistened with rain, sow your seed broad-cast or in drills, as 
you choose , but care should be taken not to sovv too thick, 
and even then they will doubtless raquire a considerable thin- 
ning. If sown broad-cast, it will require more labor to thin 
them out and keep them clear from weeds, though the first*la- 
bor will not be so much as sowing in drills. They should be 
thinned to the distance of six or eight inches. 

Turnips are often injured by the ravages of a small black 
fly, which in the quickness of its motions very much resem- 
bles a flea. Against this there are various preventatives re- 
commended. There is perhaps none better than that men- 



24 



LIBRARY 



CONGRESS 




063 476 7 



tioned by Abercrofnhie, whicli^is, tc 

water, at the rate of an ounce of si 

which will be sufficient for soaking 

Some recommend sowing ashes or 

ter the seed has come up. This will generally nave a gooa 

effect if sowed when the dew is on. 

Turnips are an excellent and very healthy vegetable, if 
properly cooked and dressed ; but many people spoil them in 
the cooking. If boiled in the water with corned or salted 
meat, ('which is a common practice in many families,) they 
should not be peeled at all. Turnips raised in a suitable 
soil, will be fair and smooth, and of a sweet flavor, and when 
first pulled, will wash white and clean without peeling. Af- 
ter being gathered and stowed away in the cellar awhile, the 
dirt adheres to them ; they may then be put into a pail of 
warm water, so as to moisten the skin, and scraped with a 
knife, and washed clean, fit for the pot, without the least ne- 
cessity of pealing. A turnip is surrounded with a coat or 
skin under the scarf skin, which in a common sized turnip is 
nearly the thickness of an orange peel. This skin, in peel- 
ing, is often cut through, by which means the turnip, in 
boiling, becomes completely water soaked, and the sweetness 
is boiled out ; it is then unfit for the table. A better way of 
cooking turnips o^ potatoes is to steam them instead of boil- 
ing them in water. 

But good sweet turnips, raised in a suitable soil, having no 
rank taste in them, are much better cooked by cutting them 
into small pieces and stewing them, as the Yankees do their 
pumpkins for pies. While stewing, mash them up in the 
kittle, and when sufficiently done, take them up and dress 
them with a little salt and butter. 

For Yelloio Swedish or R^Ua Baga turnip, see page 8 



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